H-Bridge Linear AC Pump Drive for Safer Air Mattress Inflation
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing air mattresses with internal pneumatic components face challenges in safely using mains AC voltage due to shock hazards, while still requiring efficient air inflation mechanisms like linear AC pumps.
Innovation Solution
An apparatus comprising a power converter to convert AC mains power to DC voltage, a linear AC pump with a reciprocating arm to pressurize air, and a DC motor driver with an H-bridge to generate a square wave for driving the pump, all designed to minimize internal circuit components and space within the mattress.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Productivity
If mains AC voltage is directly coupled to internal circuitry for driving linear AC pumps, then efficient air inflation is achieved, but shock hazards increase due to high voltage levels
Solution Approach 1:
A DC motor driver circuit with H-bridge configuration is introduced as an intermediary between the low-voltage DC power source and the linear AC pump. This intermediary circuit generates a square wave signal that drives the pump's electromagnetic coils, enabling AC pump operation from DC voltage without direct AC mains coupling inside the mattress, thus eliminating shock hazards while maintaining inflation efficiency
Solution Approach 2:
The invention changes the voltage type parameter from AC mains voltage to DC voltage by using a power converter to rectify and regulate the voltage. The DC motor driver then converts this regulated DC voltage into a square wave signal with appropriate frequency and amplitude characteristics to drive the linear AC pump, transforming the electrical parameters to achieve safe internal operation
2Object-affected harmful factors
If DC motor driver with H-bridge is used to drive linear AC pump from DC voltage, then shock hazards are reduced, but device complexity increases due to additional circuit components
Solution Approach 1:
The DC motor driver circuit is designed to perform multiple functions: voltage conversion from regulated DC to square wave, frequency control of the pump operation, and current regulation for the electromagnetic coils. By integrating these functions into a single driver circuit, the overall system complexity is managed despite the additional components required for safe DC-based operation
3Volume of moving object
If power converter is placed outside the mattress, then space inside the mattress is minimized, but the system requires external power conversion infrastructure
Solution Approach 1:
The power converter function is extracted from the mattress interior and placed in an external location (such as a hanging housing or external power supply unit). This extraction removes the bulky power conversion components from the limited internal space of the mattress, allowing the internal circuitry to operate from compact DC voltage while the external converter handles the AC-to-DC conversion
Applied Scientific Principles
This section explains which scientific principles are used to turn an abstract innovation direction into a practical engineering solution.
Function Achieved in This Case
This solution effectively drives a linear AC motor using DC voltage, reducing shock hazards and minimizing space within the air mattress, while maintaining efficient air inflation capabilities.
Implementation Method 1
a power converter to convert AC mains power into a DC voltage
Implementation Method 2
a DC motor driver that includes an H-bridge which receives the DC voltage from the power converter as an input and which generates a square wave as an output that is coupled to the linear pump to drive the arm back and forth
Data Source
Figure 1
Figure 2A
Figure 2B
AI summary
An apparatus includes a power converter to convert incoming alternating current (AC) mains power into a direct current (DC) voltage. A linear AC pump of the apparatus has an arm that reciprocates linearly back and forth to move a pair of diaphragms to pressurize air that is output from the linear AC pump. The apparatus also includes a DC motor driver having an H-bridge that receives the DC voltage from the power converter as an input and that generates a square wave as an output that is coupled to the linear AC pump to drive the arm back and forth. The pressurized air from the linear AC pump is used to inflate one or more bladders of an air mattress, for example.